Mirrored Images
by shadowjadis
Summary: "She had probably been alone all along, but it was the first time she had truly felt alone." Everyone believes Regina killed Dr. Hopper, but she's innocent. Rejected by the whole town, Regina doesn't expect to find a new friend when she needs it most... in a different world. Spoilers for AFFC to come!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters or TV shows. They belong to their rightful owners - ABC and George RR Martin respectively. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Author's note: This scene is set after the episode entitled "The Cricket Game".**

* * *

Being the bad guy was something she was used to; but for once in her life, she had done nothing wrong. That was probably the price to pay for a whole life of evil-doing, she thought to herself bitterly. Resting an elbow on her kitchen counter and her forehead on her hand, she poured a glass of wine and sighed. She was alone. She had probably been alone all along, but it was the first time she had truly _felt_ alone. As a powerful leader, she had long ago assumed that she would lose people on the way. Some would feel threatened. Others would betray her. Some would disagree. It was part of the game. Yet losing _him_ was more than she could bear, like her deepest fear of all coming true. Inevitably, her thoughts landed on Henry. Henry… A burning lump that had nothing to do with the wine formed on her throat. She wasn't the kind to cry easily, but Regina could sense the tears forming somewhere in the depth of her eyes. Her hand shook as she tightened her grip around the stem of the glass, like it was her lifeboat. A bitter taste invaded her mouth when she tried to drown her sobs in the blood-red beverage.

She had lost him forever. Being called a liar by everyone else in town and having them think her guilty of killing Archie Hopper didn't hurt as much as the disappointed look in her adoptive son's eyes. Now that she had almost won his trust again, everything had been blown to ashes. He didn't believe her. And there was nothing she could do to prove her innocence.

Perhaps for a few minutes, perhaps for a lifetime, she stood by the counter. Her face muscles ached from the tension; anxiety pressed against her chest, smothering her. She already felt dizzy, but there was no way to tell whether it was because of the wine or the pain. The room seemed huge, endless. Those four walls suddenly appeared ten feet high. It felt like slowly falling into a pit. Casting her gaze around the prison her home had become, they came to rest on a small mirror hanging on the wall. Creeping red roses decorated the frame. She looked at her reflection distractedly, not wanting to pay much attention. She probably wouldn't like what she'd see.

Yet something forced her eyes to move back to the looking glass. It must have been the alcohol in her body – she didn't even know how much she had drunk anymore – but she would have sworn her reflection had flickered. She shook her head. But then it happened again, more intensively. A strange kind of fog covered the surface for a few seconds, then faded away…

… and then she saw her. Those emerald green eyes had the saddest look she had ever seen. Her blond hair was wavy and untidy, she looked forsaken and dirty; and still there was something proud in the woman she saw. Something _majestic_. Not even whatever misery she might be going through had managed to erase her greatness. She had never seen her before, but Regina could tell that she had once been powerful, maybe even feared. She felt so identified with her...

The image soon disappeared, bringing her back to her kitchen and her own confused frown. Only then did she notice the mixture of blood and wine in her fingers and the smashed glass.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing - not the characters (with the exception of the unnamed witch, no clue where that came from), not the TV show, not the books... They all belong to ABC.  
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**A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews and the favorites! :) I've had to change a few things because it wasn't in the right category. Sorry for the inconveniences.  
**

**-Flashback-**

He wondered how so many people could fit in that tiny square. They all gathered around the different stalls – exotic candy and spices, jewelry, fine silks… The voices of the bargaining visitors mixed with the loud merchants announcing their goods. Smoke coming from a stand where some kind of meat was sold made his eyes sting; yet in spite of the noise, the stifling heat and the mix of smells that almost made him dizzy, he liked the atmosphere in the market. In the crowd, no-one could tell if he was a young lord or a fisherman's son.

Finally, he found what he was looking for. It was a small tent, with a flowery pattern in different shades of purple. Daniel hesitated. Someone had recommended him that place, but as he stood by the entrance, he felt strangely uneasy. There was something weird about that tent. Something dark; at the same time, though, he felt that something was calling for him from the inside, alluring him. Swallowing hard, he moved the curtain aside and took a step forward.

Incense filled his head and made him cough. Sitting behind a small table with a golden pentagram in the middle, an old woman turned her head towards him. The blue hood that covered her head hissed as she moved. Her eyes were white and completely still, but the corners of her mouth lifted at Daniel's presence.

"Ah! I was waiting for you, my dear boy. I was afraid you'd be caught in the stables until the late hours."

He breathed an inaudible, embarrassed sigh. Blind people were said to have a good nose; the horse smell was probably still clinging to his clothes and his body.

"Come, Daniel, sit with me."

He stopped dead in his tracks, accidentally hitting his head against a candle holder that hung from the top of the tent. No matter how developed her senses were, there was no way she could possibly know his name.

"Careful with that!" the old woman chuckled. She then motioned toward a cushioned chair on the opposite side of the table "I won't detain you for too long, sweetling."

Mute with astonishment, he took a seat opposite the lady. Her skin was so pale it almost glowed in the dim light of the tent. She had wrinkles all over her face, and her hands were thin and knotty, like roots. One of those bony hands held his, bringing yet another smile to her lips.

"Oh, yes" her voice was husky, but she spoke very softly and her words were full of sweetness as she caressed his knuckles "You're here because of that girl. You love each other, but strong, dark forces hold you both back from being together… forced to meet secretly, to hide your passion from everyone else, yes…" she stopped, her smile widening. In spite of her blank eyes, Daniel could sense how her gaze was fixed on him, piercing him "But you haven't come to me to hear what you already know. No. You're searching for something special. A beautiful present for a beautiful girl, isn't that right?"

"Y-yes" was all he could speak.

He felt stupid after saying it. She probably didn't need an answer anyway. The old witch – she had just pretty much proven him that she was one – let go of his hand.

"Hmm…" she cupped her own cheek, seemingly lost in thoughts "You're not sure what to get her, right? You probably don't have much money anyway…" Daniel lowered his head awkwardly. He had in fact been saving the little silver Regina's family paid him for a couple of months "But that doesn't matter, my child. Have a look around. I _know_ you will find something to your beloved lady's liking."

He had been so fascinated and distracted by the woman that he hadn't noticed all the extraordinary objects that were all over the tent. Candles in different colors, strange figurines, plants he had never seen, old books… Everything looked appealingly enigmatic, but nothing he saw seemed good enough for Regina. He wanted to impress her, to make her smile. Although in the back of his mind he knew that anything he gave her would make her happy, he wanted it to be something special. It had been a year since they had confessed their love for each other. No matter how big and honest her smile had been that one time when he appeared with a yellow flower he had picked on the way to the stables, that wouldn't do for such a special occasion.

Suddenly, he laid his eyes on the dusty shelf and noticed an object he hadn't seen before. While all other things around it looked old and a little dirty, a small mirror stayed untouched by time. The glass sparkled, framed by some roses carved into the wood, painted in red, their stems entangled. In spite of his simplicity, he immediately felt drawn to it. As though she could read his mind, the blind woman followed his gaze and grinned.

"I knew you'd fine what you were looking for. You must know, however, that this is a very special mirror."

As she spoke, he had stood up from his place and had the mirror in his hands. He examined it curiously, still feeling that odd connection. It was as though that was what he had been searching all along without knowing. Now he was sure. Therefore, he didn't even ask what made it so special.

"How much is it?" he wondered instead.

"Worry not, child" the woman replied softly "I'll accept as much as you want to give me."

Swallowing, he took the small leather bag tied to his belt. He had no clue how much a mirror like that could cost, so he decided to be generous. The witch welcomed the gesture with a giggle.

"Thank you so much, my dear. Apart from the mirror, I'd like to offer you something else: advice. Cherish every moment you spend with Regina. Make the most of it. It won't last for long. This mirror is the best object you could ever present her with, for it will be very useful to her in her darkest moments."

Without completely processing it, he nodded and mumbled some grateful words. The sky was turning darker when he left. Daniel didn't know what scared him more – if the fact that the old woman knew his lover's name or the comment _It won't last for long_…

**-Flashback-**

That annoying bell, as usual, clinked as she pushed the door open. Gold looked up from the figurine he was polishing, indifferent.

"Mayor Mills" he greeted sarcastically with a crooked smile "To what do I owe this honor?" as she approached the counter, he noticed her bandaged hand "How did you get that?"

"Don't pretend you care" she replied dryly with her trademark smirk "I need a favor."

"Straight to the point as usual" Mr. Gold sighed as he put the figurine back into the display cabinet "And what makes you think I'll help you?" he added with a challenging look.

Ignoring his rudeness, she took the mirror out of her bag. She had wrapped it in plastic to protect it.

"It's about magic" she explained as she revealed the mirror, her long purple nails tugging at the adhesive tape "I need to know what this is."

Rumpelstiltskin observed the object quietly for a moment, his fingers drumming on the edge of the counter. His eyes widened in recognition. However, he merely looked back at Regina, forcing a smile.

"Looks like a mirror."

"Thank you, I would have never guessed that by myself" she rolled her eyes "Now tell me something I don't know."

"I have nothing else to tell you" his smile stayed on, and he kept his tone polite. He motioned towards the door "Now, if you don't mind…"

"You know where it comes from, don't you?"

Her words sounded more desperate than she intended. But what she hated most was the smug expression that paraded all over Rumpelstiltskin's face. She cursed herself mentally.

"Perhaps I do. But even so, why would I tell you?"

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Had it been months before, she would have come up with a threat, anything that could intimidate him. But now she was powerless. Clenching her jaw to hold herself back, she let out a snort.

"What do you want?" she asked him seriously.

The older man chuckled.

"I want nothing from you. Believe me, dearie, seeing you finally get what you deserve will be rewarding enough."

"Fine" she gave up, holding the mirror against her chest.

She turned on her heels, ready to leave the shop. She was two steps from the door when his voice stopped her.

"They call it the Mirror of Despair. It only works in times of extreme need."

"And what else?" she asked without turning.

"That's all. It shows us what we need most in those moments."

Mr. Gold's words caught her attention this time. She turned to face him with a bewildered frown.

"Really? Is that all?"

_Not the future? Not a portal between two worlds?_, she thought, frustrated.

"Not that I know" he shook his head "It's a very rare object, so chances are there's more to it than we all know."

"Alright" she raised her dark eyebrows, moving back to the door again.

"What did you see?" he wanted to know.

The corner of Regina's mouth curved into a half-smile. Perhaps she could be the one to learn more about that extraordinary mirror.

"I saw Henry, of course" she lied.


End file.
